An Ed Wood-Free Plan 9?
“Can your heart stand the shocking facts about a remake of Graverobbers from Outer Space?”
I’m over a week late on this story, but better late than never I reckon. We can now add Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space to the list of remakes. I suppose if you’re going to remake a movie, then why not remake the film widely hailed as the worst movie of all time? Fortunately, this is not going to be some big budget Hollywood production – that would pretty much fly in the face of everything the original film stood for. Nor will this be a campy spoof of the immortally awful film.
For those that have never seen Ed Wood’s masterpiece, aliens angered by the “stupid minds” of us humans begin resurrecting the dead as part of their insidious master plan, “Plan 9” to be exact. Stock footage, bad acting, look-a-like doubles in place of dead actors, cardboard sets, and hubcap flying saucers helped make this film the dubious classic it has become.
As for this remake to be simply entitled Plan 9, I’ll let the press release from Darkstone Entertainment explain it to you.
“In 1959, a film was released that would live in the minds and hearts of science fiction and horror fans for years to come. That film was Edward D. Wood, Jr.’s magnum opus, Plan 9 From Outer Space, a story about aliens re-animating the dead in order to kill Earth’s population. Though widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made, genre audiences could not resist the exuberance and love for the art of filmmaking that showed in Wood’s work, and the movie has become a cherished cult classic that still survives on home video and in midnight screenings across the world.
Now, in time to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Plan 9 From Outer Space, director John Johnson – along with his production company, Darkstone Entertainment – is poised to remake the classic film. Simply titled ‘Plan 9’, the remake will be a serious-minded retelling of the original story, paying homage to the spirit of Wood’s film without resorting to camp or parody. The film will focus on the horror and science fiction aspects of the original, but will also be largely character-driven.
Johnson’s goal for Plan 9 is to make a film that honors not only the original source material, but also Ed Wood’s intentions when he made Plan 9 From Outer Space. Wood’s plan was to make a very scary sci-fi/horror film, and Johnson wishes to do exactly that – create a film that Wood would have enjoyed, or perhaps even made himself, if not bound by the technological limitations placed on filmmakers 50 years ago.
Plan 9 is being made with the blessing and participation of Conrad Brooks, the sole surviving member of the original film’s cast and crew. As a sister project to the remake, director Johnson and actor Brooks plan to do a commentary for the original film with a Q + A retrospective for a 2-disc DVD release with no set street date at the moment. The new film is scheduled to premiere on September 9, 2009 (09.09.09).”
I just don’t know if this is a good idea. Everything that made the original so much fun to watch was because of unintentional ineptness. A straightforward retelling of Plan 9 … That just doesn’t sound like it would be all that entertaining. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
More information on Plan 9 (though not much more right now) can be found over at the film’s official website. I’m sure there will be some Plan 9 updates in the very near future. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember, my friend; future events such as these will affect you in the future.
Plan your remake in the Dread Central forums!
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